Is it redundant or a popularity contest????

I am not quite sure I understand this new "followers" feature that Blogger is offering.
I can see on my dashboard that I have acquired followers and I can see a little icon of who they are. They are all people whose blogs that I read every time their blog is updated. Isn't that what the rolling blog list is for?
It seems that if someone "follows" your blog you should reciprocate by "following" their blog....or perhaps you'll run the risk of hurting someones feelings. Then it seems like it could easily turn into a popularity contest...which I have never been good at.
Currently I have 87 tatting blogs that I subscribe to. If you are the proud owner of a tatting blog and your link is NOT in my sidebar you must let me know right away so that I can add it. I am trying my best to keep up with everyone and new tatting blogs are popping up all the time. (SUPER AWESOME!)
The Blogroll is a really neat feature because you can set it to show whose blog has been most recently updated. Everyday, I read the blogs that have been posted to. I am addicted to reading your blogs and it has become a part of my everyday ritual.
I try to leave comments as often as I can. When I am not feeling great (which has been the case since re-locating to Korea) it's difficult to find the energy to leave comments on every one's blogs.
This post is an official record that I read all the tatting blogs I know about.
If you are a tatter and you blog about it...I LOVE YOU and your blog (I mean that is the whole reason the "Tatted Ring of Bloggers" was started)! So to put it clearly I am already a follower of YOU!
If I participate in the new "followers" thing I run the risk of potentially having 87 little icons in my sidebar taking up space that I would rather use for other things...like the TIAS for example.

In summary, If your link is in my sidebar under BLOGROLL I follow and LOVE your blog.
Shouldn't that be enough?